Day 12 - Friday, May 22

Start - Wytheville, VA

End - Damascus, VA

Miles (on the route) - 60.0

Miles (total) - 61.15

Avg Spd - 11.5mph

Max Spd - 35mph

Total Ride Time - 5:18

The first twentysome miles out of Wytheville were great, being relatively level riding with minimal climbing; night and day from the last several days. But it wasn't long of course until the Appalachians kicked back in and it was climbing time again. This day was different though. I got an early start and was able to ride at any pace and not feel pressured to get anywhere in particular. Now I can just ride and take it all in.

Late in the afternoon I stopped at a country store at the bottom of a mountain descent and I ran into Pat and Virginia from the mallard duck campground several days previous. Inside I met some Appalachian Trail hikers and talked with them for a half hour. I was soon enlightened to all the details of the hiking lifestyle and I suddenly felt I was living the high life. Their trip was taking six months from Georgia to Maine and they have to carry at least five days of supplies at a time. I'm spoiled with coming across stores several times a day and never thought about the realities of that lifestyle. They shared stories of multiple bear encounters and even kicking wild ponies. Apparently the ponies will "kick the hell out of ya'! And they'll eat your tent, and then eat all your pot!" So I don't have to deal with that. That's good.

I climbed one more mountain and again had a long and windy descent into Damascus. These windy downhills have almost become frequent and my approach has changed drastically since the wipeout on the Vesuvius descent. I've now come to hate the descents more than the climbs, and I spend as much time going down the mountains as I do climbing them. I take frequent breaks to check the heat of my rims and let them cool from all the braking. At one point on the descent I passed through what must have been the home of the largest population of knats ever. I thought I would need a squeegee to get the bugs off my face and legs. Pretty nasty!

I rode directly to the hostel and found it busy with hikers from the AT (Appalachian Trail.) Turns out this is a huge hub with the Trans Am, AT, and the Virginia Creeper Trail and coming into Damascus. The town has a population of only 980, but has booming tourism services including six bike shops that shuttle riders into the mountains for dayrides. The previous week was Hiker's Week there and it brought in 3000 hikers! Many of the hikers hang around town for a week because it may be over a month before they find another town. The hikers all have nicknames and I was jokingly given the nickname "car dodger." I met several interesting people including one who went by the name "the Santiago Pilgrim." He was in his 50s(?), with long wavy white hair down to his shoulders, a tuft of hair on his chin that reached the collar of his worn and stained t-shirt. He sported a large brimmed leather hat like one Neil Young would likely wear, and a single seashell on a leather strand around his neck. He spoke with a strange accent that turned out to be a combination of being born and raised in New York, and then spending most of his years in Ireland. He was more than willing to dispense his philosophies and wisdoms, talking of a need for America to return to its sense of community. He talked of wanting to start a "new foundation" for America. I'm not sure if he was onto something or just spent too much time in the mountains, but he was certainly entertaining conversation.

I was able to grab a great dinner at Fatty's Diner, and almost entertained the idea of taking the 6lb burger challenge. The way I've been eating I think I could have done it. I talked to some locals and they even bought me a few beers, including a much sought after Yuengling Lager. It was good to have a few beers.